Problem with car

[Jordanb29]

Hi all,

My cars been in the garage for 2 weeks now due to the Head gasket going on it. The garage have took the piss to be quite frankly and im sick of waiting for my car. Ive just called them up and they said they have got the head back and got the car running but its missfiring badly apparently and their stumped on what it can be?! Their frigging mechanics they should be able to find out what it is easily enough but i guess not. Since the hours to fix a head gasket after it has gone etc is 5 hours, do you think they will try charge me more for trying to fix the problem of missfiring? As if they do i dont see why i should pay it as its a load of crap as they have took way to long. At the start they only quoted me 5 days max. Its now going on 15days nearly.

Anyone know what the missfiring could be? Any help would be great.

Thanks

 

[MWRS182]

If garage is not a specialist maybe they can't time the engine properly.

Hence why I just booked mine in with dan@sjm for belts and dephaser. 90 min drive and closest specialist for me but seems to have a good reputation, comes highly recommended by many others and he knows the engine very well.

Good luck getting yours done.

Just realised it's a 1.2 my bad. These are easier to time etc so a reputable garage shouldn't be taking that long to sort it out. I would be annoyed too at that amount of time without my car.

 

[Jordanb29]

Yeah ive been really irritated by them. They said they still cant find the issue with it. I would of liked to take it to a specialist but due go me living ages away amd my headgasket had gone so they car wasnt drivable i couldnt get it there. Wish i just paid for a new car since the buses for me to get to work and back each day is £7.60!

 

[Beasley Clio182]

Yeah ive been really irritated by them. They said they still cant find the issue with it. I would of liked to take it to a specialist but due go me living ages away amd my headgasket had gone so they car wasnt drivable i couldnt get it there. Wish i just paid for a new car since the buses for me to get to work and back each day is £7.60!

Good god :O

Was it mis firing before if not you shouldn't have to pay! And who diagnosed the HG?

 

[llgsimpson]

Hi all,

My cars been in the garage for 2 weeks now due to the Head gasket going on it. The garage have took the piss to be quite frankly and im sick of waiting for my car. Ive just called them up and they said they have got the head back and got the car running but its missfiring badly apparently and their stumped on what it can be?! Their frigging mechanics they should be able to find out what it is easily enough but i guess not. Since the hours to fix a head gasket after it has gone etc is 5 hours, do you think they will try charge me more for trying to fix the problem of missfiring? As if they do i dont see why i should pay it as its a load of crap as they have took way to long. At the start they only quoted me 5 days max. Its now going on 15days nearly.

Anyone know what the missfiring could be? Any help would be great.

Thanks

hate to rub it in but it sounds like they dont know what they are doing, my gfs head gasket went and she took it to someone in gilberdyke (not far from hull), she got the car back next day and timing belt changed at the same time for under £400.

 

[Beasley Clio182]

hate to rub it in but it sounds like they dont know what they are doing, my gfs head gasket went and she took it to someone in gilberdyke (not far from hull), she got the car back next day and timing belt changed at the same time for under £400.

sounds about right 2-3 days maximum for a headgasket and i only say that because to do the job properly you 'should' have the head checked and skimmed which can take a day or two !!

 

[Jordanb29]

There was no miss firing before the head gasket went. I got the car back today.. the engine has a loud ticking noise and its under powered. Sounds like its running on 3 cylinders.. i know before i got the headgasket changed that it ran perfect without any problem. One garage i drove it to today said it sounds like its a loose tappet or something along those lines. Another said it could be the head isnt good after the skimming and testing. Im not sure what to do as the garage said its fine but all the others say its not and i know it doesnt drive like it used to. I know its not coilpack or leads as i changed them a few months before.. could it be spark plugs or does it sound more serious..i havent paid yet and dont see why i should when the problem has not yet been repaired :/

 

[ScottL]

Get the timing checked by a respectable garage

 

[CLIODAYLE]

If its abit of a tinkling sound it could be timing, did this at college the other day so just advising really but imo id get it checked by a reputable dealer.

 

[Jordanb29]

The ticking today seems to of gotten even louder. But the emissions light has gone off. Im not sure what it is to be honest as its not right but the garage are insisting there is nothing wrong! Anyone know where i stand with this and what i can do about it?

 

[ScottL]

Car you post a video of the ticking sound, might help us to help you a bit more

Cheers
Scott

 

[Spinksy]

The ticking today seems to of gotten even louder. But the emissions light has gone off. Im not sure what it is to be honest as its not right but the garage are insisting there is nothing wrong! Anyone know where i stand with this and what i can do about it?

How much are they wanting to charge you for the work so far?

and I would definitely get it seen to mate before it gets worse

 

[darrenclio172]

If you are getting a ticking noise the garage can not turn around and say there is nothing wrong ?!

A simple cylinder leakage test would have shown if there were any mechanical issues with the engine. If that test came back ok then it will be a plug, lead, coil pack or a fuel injector. That is assuming the timing is set up correctly.

I really cant understand how any workshop can not do the timing on one of these engines. The kits are available from a lot of parts places (i got mine from llyods motor spares) and im sure you can find the procedure online to get it right.

Personally i would get it back to the workshop, tell them to pull their finger out and fix your car.

 

[Jordanb29]

Will try get a video up soon. Don't think the video will catch much sound but ill put one up to try give you a idea on what it may be. Its definitely not running round. I know it sounds odd but it sounds like a Subaru engine slightly when its moving/driving (boxer engine) when idle its not the worst but when you rev it, it does get louder.

The emissions light went off today which is a start but the car still sounds and run not as it should. The garage had the cheek to say that I have 'ragged' the car and was probably my fault! It was like it when I picked the car up so definitely not me who has done it!

And the price range they have estimated me so far as I haven't got the bill through yet is anywhere between £500-£600! and i am not paying that unless the engine works perfect to be quite frankly!

 

[Spinksy]

Will try get a video up soon. Don't think the video will catch much sound but ill put one up to try give you a idea on what it may be. Its definitely not running round. I know it sounds odd but it sounds like a Subaru engine slightly when its moving/driving (boxer engine) when idle its not the worst but when you rev it, it does get louder.

The emissions light went off today which is a start but the car still sounds and run not as it should. The garage had the cheek to say that I have 'ragged' the car and was probably my fault! It was like it when I picked the car up so definitely not me who has done it!

And the price range they have estimated me so far as I haven't got the bill through yet is anywhere between £500-£600! and i am not paying that unless the engine works perfect to be quite frankly!

FCUK THAT!!!

you could replace the engine for that! (literally, my engine cost £150 + service parts, did it myself so about £180 all in)..... my engine has the ticking same as you are describing mate tbh, (old one did not long before the head went, new one has done since it was fitted)

I am assuming it is timing tbh, belts are all getting done in august as thats when mine were due anyway so hoping that will fix it

 

[Bluebeard]

If you haven't got the bill for it yet, that's the best news ever! Tell them you won't be paying a penny until its fixed properly.

 

[darrenclio172]

If you haven't got the bill for it yet, that's the best news ever! Tell them you won't be paying a penny until its fixed properly.

I totally agree.

The thing is if they were competent technicians they should find a misfire problem within an hour. To save them screwing you over for 10 hours labour of fault finding, it may be worth taking it to a Renault specialist to diagnose the problem as a back up just incase they do try and sting you.

It is very un professional of them to start blaming you for what they have done, the car should have been test driven on completion and not returned to you being at fault !

 

[Jordanb29]

I've took a video and attached a link to the bottom of this post. The misfiring has stopped but when driving it doesn't sound like it used to at all. I think every car owner knows how their car drives and sounds and knows if something is not right and I definitely know something is wrong. When I start the car up it acts up about 15-20seconds after I do that which is very odd and can definitely hear it in the video at about 6 seconds in.

Enjoy! - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L6e4xeIJCg

 

[Jordanb29]

Anyone got an idea?

 

[Jordanb29]

Oh and also the mechanic from the garage has now said that they need to be worn in then took back in and the timing done and tappets checked.. Personally I doubt that is true but what do you lot think?

 

[ScottL]

If it's smoking that much when it's warmed up and on idle then there's something not right tba

 

[Jordanb29]

If it's smoking that much when it's warmed up and on idle then there's something not right tba

It wasnt warmed up mate, Id just started the car up and about 10seconds later started the video. I managed to get 20miles into work today in it and again the emissions light came on then went back off again so im not sure whats going on. Ive checked all the levels like oil and coolant and their both the same so its not leaking which is a positive thing. Im starting to think its not timed up correctly and whatever the sound is i think is a loose tappet or something like that.

 

[ScottL]

I'd get it checked over by another garage mate, somethings not right and I'd put money down that it's the timing

 

[Jordanb29]

if the timing was out would it effect the car as much as if a coilpack goes or ht leads?

 

[ScottL]

It would definitely be low on power if the timing was out mate

 

[Jordanb29]

well its not that low on power, but it feels sluggish when driving and sounds different such as if the spark plugs needed changing badly sort of sounding? if that makes any sense!

 

[darrenclio172]

Take it to another garage, by the way the engine is behaving it sounds like the timing it out.

 

[Jordanb29]

yeah im going to give the garage a call tomorrow and tell them i want it put back in and the timing looked at along with the tappets and if they think im paying they will be waiting a long time!

 

[Jordanb29]

Right spoken to a good friend whos a mechanic tonight who had a listen to the engine and he said that its a definate missfire. He said it is most probably down to low compression on one of the cylinders which is not what i wanted to hear but atleast i know what it is now. He has also said if i take it to the garage thursday just before they close up he will do a few tests on it and get it on paper for me so ive got something to stand on when i go to the garage and tell him theres something wrong

 

[Jordanb29]

Right i was driving to work today and im getting sick of the sound my car is making... I captured a video of it the best i could and the only thing i can relate the sound to is that it sounds like a car with a cheap 'performance' pod filter or something but its totally standard air intake on the car. Have a look and tell me what you think! - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbMHlS3wpNo

 

[Jordanb29]

Still the issue hasnt been solved. I took it to a mechanic i know who works for a good garage to check it just before the garage shut.

He gave it a few checks such as checking spark plugs, compression check, plugging it in and seeing if anything came up as a fault and all of them came back fine.. Apart from the spark plug in cylinder 4 had no sut on the bottom of it whilst all the others had which led him to believe the missifre is down to oil. He took a pipe off the right hand side of the throttle body which leads to the air box and found this:

So basically the throttle bodies is full of oil when it shouldnt be and he said that will most definitely the reason why its missfiring and said 'the oil will be going to its first port of call which is "cylinder 4" so that is why the spark plug has no sut on the bottom and the oil will just be going down there'. So what he thinks is the garage just havent cleaned the throttle bodies out and done a rush job on the car.

I then called the garage up this morning and they came out with this 'Oh well i dont think that is the problem due to the engine over time naturally building up an oil ring, which was washed out when the headgasket went' and 'the compression on cylinder 1 was low aswell' even though the garage i took it to showed me the compression in each cylinder and all were the same and was a good reading. He said for me to just keep running it in and hope the missfire sorts itself by running it in for another 500miles and then take it back to him to have a look. He said if it keeps missfiring then they will be looking into rebores? To be quite honest ive never heard of 'running an engine in' after doing the head gasket and neither have the few garages i have took it to and never heard of having to rebore when the compression is all fine?

Anyone know where i stand with this as i dont want the garage working on my car as they have done a s**t job and i dont want to pay for it when the car isnt full repaired. Its been practically a month now and i just want the car fixed and drivable so i can get to and from work without having to worry about the fecking thing breaking down on me.

Plus my car is guzzling the fuel. I do around 400miles a week and my car has used £80 of fuel at £1.41 a litre which equals to around 32mpg which is fairly low for a 1.2 8V driving eco and never going over 2000rpm?!

 

[Jordanb29]

Right, still think there is a problem with my car and its over 1,500miles since the headgasket/belt got done. The belt is timed up correctly so thats one thing that isnt the problem... The tapping noise is very loud on car and im not sure if may injector noise.. Plugged it in and no error came up so everything is working as it should?

Its not super loud noise but it sounds somewhat like a diesel engine does on idle.. which isnt right to be honest!

Ive had it back in the garage about 2 weeks ago and he said he reset the tappets and it came out a tiny bit quieter but has got louder again.. Also i cleaned the throttle body out from oil along with air intake tube and checked again two days ago.. Had oil in it again.. so not sure what it can be to be honest! Blocked breather?

Either way i dont think the car is mechanically what it should be like! :/